He Changed The World – for an introduction to this series of talks, please click the title. Mark 8:22-30Using the player above you can listen to/download the talk, which also includes the Bible being read out. Once you’ve listened, take
Make your choice
The disciples are shocked by Jesus’ insistence that he will soon be dead. This leaves their dream of a renewed Israel in the dust. But, says Jesus, that’s where it should be for even the finest things of this world
Necessary suffering
Jesus is a mystery to many in Israel – a situation he’s had to encourage to handle false expectations. However, his disciples have come to see clearly that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed king sent by God.
Slave to love
Jesus is God’s eternal Son (He 1:1-4). Yet his life on earth was slave-like (Ph 2:6-7), lived under the brutal authority of worldly powers and often utterly exhausting. Why? In order to save his people from sin (Ph 2:8; 1Jo
Serious, self-denying service
The New Testament is very aware that churches can end up with leaders who abuse their position. Paul reflects on this topic in our verses, as he gives his final speech to the elders from the church in Ephesus (Ac
Racing towards danger
It can be very helpful to pause and ask ourselves the question: “What matters most to me?”. Or to put it a different way: “What would I want to get right in my life, even if I got everything else
Social impact
There are points in history when a society is affected deeply by the Christians within it. That can be seen in this story of Paul’s gospel work in the city of Ephesus. Paul has spent a long time building up
John the Baptist, RIP
Jesus’ kingdom has been expanding, with people from across the Mediterranean world entering into it. Yet suddenly we meet a group who seem anachronistic – part of a much earlier stage in the story of Jesus. So why are they
Upside down world
Every person has their own traits and personality. But when people come together – such as in a town or a team – the combined group can have traits and personality too. Luke uses that in Acts as he describes
Demolition gang
How do you look at history? Through dates? Politics? People? Social change? Local events? World events? We have multiple ways to picture history. For the first Christians, their focus was upon Israel – the nation whom God had chosen (De